Faded Memories
by Gage39
Summary: The X-Men disbanded long ago.  This is the Professor's thoughts on the subject and on what happened to them.


Faded Memories

A/N: This is the Professor's point of view and takes place after the second movie. The third one never happened.

I sit here, staring out the window at the snow covered ground, watching the snow cover up the footprints and any other sign that life existed here. I was never fond of winter; preferring the fresh air and promise of new life that came with spring or even the beginning of fall when the leaves would change color and fall to the ground, much to the dismay of my students who did not enjoy raking them up. Winter, while it was very beautiful indeed, seemed to foretell of a bitter cold that would bring death to everything in its path. Jean Grey used to tell me that I was a little too imaginative about some things and I suppose she was right but still I can't help but think of winter that way. They used to love winter; I remember that much. After Storm supplied the snow Rogue and some of the younger students would get up early and run outside to build snowmen and have snowball fights. Inevitably one of the snowballs would hit Wolverine's window, waking him up and sending him downstairs to scare them. Then Jean would wake up and pull a sleepy Scott out of bed to stop Wolverine from injuring anyone. After they all trooped back inside for hot cocoa and a big breakfast they would return outdoors where they would commence with several contests that mainly involved snow and trying not to get killed by Wolverine after accidentally hitting him with a snowball. When it became dark they would reluctantly come back in and race each other to the showers. Wolverine usually won but allowed Rogue to go first as he could handle hypothermia and she couldn't.

I shake my head; I must not think about these things. They are all gone now; all of them. Jean used her powers to save us from a flood and perished there, her body never found. Purposeless without Jean Scott eventually quit the X-Men and went to Kenya where he joined a religious cult and became a monk. Storm stayed for a while to help me with the school before returning to Africa where her heart and heritage resided. Rogue grew up to be a beautiful young lady, one who had all the boys eyeing her enviously but none brave enough to approach out of fear of what Wolverine would do to them if they tried. She longed for touch so badly that one night she gave in to temptation and kissed a mutant named Gambit and absorbed his powers. Horrified by what she had done she took off and was hit by a car while returning to the mansion. I honestly expected Wolverine to leave the day after the funeral but to my surprise he stayed for several more years, helping me teach what few students I had left. Eventually, however, he too disappeared, saying that he couldn't do it anymore and besides, the US Army needed him to do something. I wasn't fooled in the least bit; he was heartbroken over the loss of his surrogate little sister Rogue and the rest of his family. He cared for each of them in his own strange way. I don't know what happened to them after they left; we all exchanged letters for a while but eventually they dwindled down to a Christmas card every three years then even that stopped. I'm sure they're all fine though; Scott's probably meditating, showing a kid how to use his mutant powers. And I bet that Storm's taking good care of her village by making sure that they have plenty of rain and sun. And Logan? I'm not entirely sure what he's doing. More than likely he's beating somebody up who made the fatal mistake to tick him off. Or he could even be in charge of an orphanage. Probably not.

A gust of wind blows through causing me to shiver and wrap the blanket around myself more tightly. I must fix that hole in the ceiling where the snow blows through before I catch pneumonia but I don't have the energy to do so. I have grown weary of my old age and long for the days past when students ran through these halls, their laughter and excited voices filling the air. I miss the soft tones of Jean as she tried to calm the slightly irritated ones of Scott. Storm's melodious voice is mixed in with the gentle breezes and harsh winds of the weather. I have even begun to miss the rough baritones of Wolverine as he yelled at Scott or the softer tone he took when addressing Rogue.

I cough, making my rib cage rattle and my chest burn in pain. The small cold I have will soon turn into something much more dangerous. Ten years ago I would have immediately gone to bed and stay there for a week and eat chicken soup while they traversed through my room, spreading their good cheer and well wishes. I cough again. It lasts longer this time. There is blood on my once clean handkerchief which was a gift from Jean. I shall not last much longer. As the world starts to fade into gray I cannot help but wonder; what will become of them? What will happen to them in years to come? Will Scott die a lonely death in his monastery? In her sorrow will Storm release a flood that will wash away everything but the memory of her? And what of Logan? What will become of the immortal Wolverine? Will he remain here until the world ends and the mansion and the memory of the X-Men have faded away? Will he finally stop fighting and allow someone to kill him, however difficult that may be? What will become of them once I am gone?

The world is fading to black now and I find that now is the time for confession. I miss all of them. There I said it. I miss my X-Men. I miss my family.

A/N/N: This is my first story for X-Men so please don't kill me!


End file.
